Fischerkähne auf dem Haff, 1913

CommentaryFrom mid-1910 onwards Karl Schmidt-Rottluff increasingly created landscapes and figurative paintings which, structured by means of rough outlines, contrast the fields of colour, forgo many details and are limited to a few, often complementary colours. Following a number of bathing figures and nudes in the dunes of Dangast, Schmidt-Rottluff painted several boat and harbour pictures in the town of Nida, popular with artists, on the Curonian Spit, as well as simple seascapes, which casually radiate something of the carefree feel of the last summer before the War. On the Curonian Spit everything apart from the flourishing spa facilities revolved around the fishing industry. The painting ›Fischerkähne auf dem Haff‹ portrays the large-scale fishing industry in the spa resort with the boats floating peacefully in the coastal inlet, seemingly waiting to be sent out to work. Despite the simplification of the scene in wide bands of colour, Schmidt-Rottluff always remains true to the character of things and their original form, one example being his detail drawing of the self-carved wooden pennant affixed to the top of the masts of the boats to signify their home port. This distinctive mark borne by all Curonian boats is particularly strikingly highlighted in Schmidt-Rottluff’s works. The composition, featuring muted colouring and largely rounded forms, presents a peaceful and idyllic image of the Curonian Lagoon.